Tattoos and Scars | Rewritten Version

Chapter 74 || Proof

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Adrian-

I felt safe. I felt safe in her arms. I was the one who was supposed to be protecting her, but she was protecting me. She was protecting me. I hadn't cried like that in a long time. I had never cried like that.

I nuzzle my head onto her lap as she wraps her arms around me more securely. "I love you," I tell her. "I'm sorry for bringing you into so much danger. I was the one who chose danger, not you."

"I was the one who chose you," She replies without missing a beat. "I'm not saying that what you do is right, but you have to choose. Are you going to put aside your emotions and do what you do, or are you going to look for a safer path in life?"

I don't reply, because I don't know the answer. "Never mind that, Adrian. Let's cook something. That should take your mind off everything."

"I just want to cuddle," I mumble wrapping my arms around her as I nuzzle my head on her lap. "I love you."

"I love you too," She whispers as she switches on the TV. "I was watching Peppa Pig," She admits. "Watch with me." I don't protest. I just wanted to be with her and I didn't care if that meant watching deformed pigs acting like everything is perfect in life on TV.

Sometimes, it really bothers me about how perfect and easy life is portrayed on Peppa Pig. She's popular, she has a mom and dad, two grandparents, and the entire town knows her and no one is ever mean to her.

If my life was like that, then maybe I wouldn't have cried on my girlfriend's shoulders. I've never felt so vulnerable before, and it's stupid. I hate it.

Bailey gasps. "Oh my God, Adrian! What if the reason someone can't sleep is because there are no sleep slots left?"

"What's that?"

"Sleep slots are like a specific slot for you to sleep in and the reason you can't sleep is because all the sleep slots are full and you have to wait for a sleep slot to free up, you know what I mean?"

I found myself chuckling dryly. Only Bailey. "Yeah, I know what you mean," I tell her. She runs her hands through my hair and for some reason, that made me feel good. I wrapped my arms around her tighter, as we continued to watch Peppa sing a song on the plane while they were going on vacation.

If anyone decided to sing on a flight like that, they'd have told them to shut up. I hate how perfect life is in this show. That's why I like horror movies. Life isn't perfect, it's full of jump scares. It haunts you, it creeps up on you while you're fast asleep.

In the end it destroys you. Satisfied, it moves on to it's next victim.

"Why do you like Peppa Pig so much?" I ask her.

"It's entertaining to watch. It gives me a glimpse of a perfect life where nothing is complicated. I mean, look at Peppa. She runs around talking to strangers as if she'll never get abducted."

I snort. "Now we know that's not true."

"Yeah, I'm living proof."

"I love you," I tell her again.

"I love you too," She replies before I hear a phone ringing. Bailey holds it up and looks at the screen. "There's an emoji of a blonde, and then a punching glove emoji."

"How many punching gloves?"

"Two."

"That's Kaden," I tell her, as I take the phone from her hand and place it next to my ear. "What do you want?" I sneer.

"Don't give me that attitude," He retorts. "Did you get a name?"

"Yeah. I did," I tell him, my mood darkening once again.

"Good, because I got one too. I need you to come over."

"No, I'm with Bailey."

He scoffs. "As much as I think Bailey is important, every fucking minute counts. Get your lover boy ass over here."

"Don't call me lover boy."

"Lover boy."

"I'm adding one more punching glove to your contact name!" I growl.

"Well, I'm changing your name to lover boy," He replies coolly. That's why he ticked me off! He could be calm about anything while I was impatient and impulsive.

"At least make it lover man."

"Lover baby it is."

I grumble a few curse words under my breath as I hang up on him. "Do you have to go?" She asks, looking at me with wide eyes. I nod with a tired sigh. "Okay. And Adrian? I just wanted to tell you that I feel safe with you. I won't leave you anytime soon. I love you okay?"

I smile at her. "I love you too," I tell her, kissing her forehead. "I couldn't have asked for anyone better. I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"Adrian Black, I will quote you. 'Don't be sorry for showing me any version of you. I'm in love with all of them.' Okay?" She wraps her arms around me, giving me a tight Bailey-hug and I hug her back.

"Okay," I say, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."

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I want to punch him. Why? I don't know. He's always so calm and collected and it makes me mad. Here he was, leaning calmly against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and I didn't like that.

"What did you want?" I ask, trying to sound as calm as he looks.

"The name," He responds without missing a beat.

My mind flashes back to this evening. The tears that flowed out of the man's eyes as I slit his wife's throat. How helpless he looked when I killed his sister and father. I shake away the thought, and answer Kaden. "Harold Martinez."

He scans me for a second as if he was waiting for me to say something else. "Well I got Elijah Wayman," He sighs.

"Then the men either lied or they were lied to. Or there are two spies," I felt my fists clench. All that work for nothing?!

"All three are a possibility, but I'm sure we weren't lied to. It would make sense if there were two spies because there are two gangs. It would also be likely that the men were lied to. It's not easy infiltrating two of the biggest mafias in the world. The less people that know about it, the safer you are," He explains. Dammit! Why isn't he angry?!

The apathetic son of a- I need to calm down.

"That makes sense. So what next? Are we going to call off your party?"

"Hell no. We're not going to call off the damn party. It would actually help us find the spies."

"Are you still going to invite Luna and Dylan?"

"I'll tighten the security. I'll make it impossible for anyone to carry a gun inside. The party is still on, lover boy."

"Don't call me that," I say through gritted teeth.

"Right, lover baby."

"You're just jealous that you can't love someone."

"I don't want to love someone," He replies casually. "And since that's it, I guess I'll leave." He begins to turn around and I was about to do the same when suddenly I stop.

"Wait," I call out and he stops. "I need to give you something."

"What?"

"You can have your mafia back." 

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a/n: well, i mean... idk what to say. i'm gonna go get some water from downstairs hehe. anyway, i started to read this random book... filled with all sorts of kinky shii... yeah i couldn't read more, it was such bad writing i can't. 

anyway, hope you liked this chapter! thank you for reading!! i love youuu!♥️